


Library Secrets

by Ellsey



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AU August 2020, Alternate Universe - Library, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellsey/pseuds/Ellsey
Summary: Melinda May loves her job as a librarian. She makes sure she knows everyone and everything going on in her small library. When a strange man shows up, Melinda makes it her mission to know exactly why he's there.
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 8
Kudos: 49
Collections: AOS AU August 2020





	Library Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> AU August continues with Day 14- Library AU!

Melinda May enjoyed her job. She was a librarian in a small, quiet library on a college campus. Slightly off the beaten path, she didn’t get too many people wandering in. Most people who went into her library did it with a purpose. Melinda liked it when they had purpose. She could easily answer their questions and direct them where to go. 

For the most part she didn’t have repeat visitors, excepting a few graduate students who were frequent flyers. Once again, this is just how Melinda liked it.

Lately though, she had noticed a new person. He looked a bit old to be a student, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t one. Melinda tried to keep her prejudices in check. He always came, went to the same section, stayed there for a while, then left. Never asked for help, never even looked at Melinda. 

Melinda found this strange. She didn’t like strange things going on in her library. So she decided to do something about it.

The next time she saw him come in, she went back to the section he had gone to. She straightened some books that didn’t need it then turned to the man. He had a small notebook in his hand that he was comparing to the books in front of him.

“May I help you with something,” Melinda asked him.

He turned to smile at her. “No thank you, I’m fine.” He had a cheery sounding voice, and Melinda couldn’t help but feel even more confused. 

“Well, I’m Melinda, and you’re welcome to come talk to me anytime you need help.” Melinda internally cringed. That sounded a little more desperate than she had intended. 

The man just nodded. “Thank you Melinda.”

The man kept coming in, but now he would at least nod at Melinda as he passed by her. Melinda was completely baffled by this behavior until one day she pulled one of the student workers aside.

“Piper, you are a gossip. Do you have any idea who that man is?”

Piper looked offended. “Rude. But yes, I do know who he is. That’s Dr. Coulson. He’s some visiting professor in the history department.”

“Visiting professor,” Melinda said. “Interesting. What’s his field of study?”

“Military history and espionage,” Piper quickly replied. When Melinda just stared at her she said, “What? My friend Davis is in that department and let me be his plus one at some party to welcome Dr. Coulson. They had free food, so I went. But he was a nice guy.”

“But that section he’s been in is all wrong for military and/or espionage information,” Melinda said, thinking aloud.

“Maybe he's stalking you,” Piper offered. 

Melinda shook her head. “That’s nonsense Piper. Get back to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Melinda decided she needed a new plan. She marked off the part of the stacks that Dr. Coulson seemed to always be in for “deep cleaning.” Then she waited.

Dr. Coulson came in, looked at the marked off stacks, and came over to where Melinda was sitting.

“Hello Dr. Coulson,” Melinda said in greeting.

“So, I guess my reputation has preceded me,” Dr. Coulson said with a small laugh.

“I make it my business to know everything that happens in this library.”

Dr. Coulson gave a nod. “I would expect nothing less of the infamous Melinda May.”

Melinda raised her eyebrows. “Infamous?”

Dr. Coulson just gave a shrug. “You know how faculty talk.”

“Indeed.”

“So, what exactly does ‘deep cleaning’ mean?” Dr. Coulson asked her.

“Sorry Dr. Coulson, that’s a library trade secret,” Melinda said.

He nodded slowly. “Ok, then do you have any idea when I can get back into that section?”

“Whenever it’s ready.”

“Well, I guess I’ll be back then,” he said. “Oh, and call me Phil.”

Phil returned every day for a week, each day staying a little longer to talk to Melinda. 

“How long are you going to fake clean?” Piper asked her one day.

“Get back to work Piper.”

Finally Melinda took the sign down. Just for good measure she moved it to a different area of the library, but one she knew was rarely used by anyone. She was actually starting to feel a little bad, like she had broken some sort of library code of ethics. 

Phil came in and greeted her as usual. He glanced over toward the stacks and saw that the sign was gone.

“Hey, you’re done cleaning. That’s great news.”

Melinda nodded. “Yes, I guess that is great news for you. And the library clearly.”

“Well,” Phil said after a couple seconds, “I should go get to work.”

“I guess so.”

Melinda watched Phil walk over to his usual section. It had been a nice interlude she supposed. After a while Phil emerged from the stacks and walked toward Melinda.

“I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work, Melinda,” he said.

“My hard word?” she asked, a bit confused.

“Yes,” Phil said. “Everything looks very clean back there.”

“Oh right.” Melinda nodded. “The deep cleaning. Yes, we make every effort to keep things...clean.”

Phil stared at her for a moment. “Perhaps I’m being too bold, but would like to have dinner with me Melinda?”

“That is very bold,” Melinda said, trying not to smile.

“Is it though? I mean you blocked off a row of books for over a week just to get my attention.”

“I…” Melinda sputtered for a bit. “You think I did that to get your attention?”

Phil made a face. “Deep cleaning? Really?”

“Alright fine, I was trying to get your attention. But I really just wanted to know why you keep coming in here. Most people would have asked me for assistance by now. Also, I just like to know who is in here and what they are doing.”

“So it was nothing personal?” Phil asked with raised eyebrows.

“Of course it was nothing personal. But also here’s my card. Text the details for dinner to this number.” Melinda scribbled her cell number on the back.

Phil took the card. “I will do that.”

“Good.” Melinda nodded.

Phil turned to leave. “Oh, and for the record, I didn’t actually have any business here. One of the people in my department told me that I should get to know you, so I decided to try and see you in your natural habitat.”

“So what have you been doing this whole time?” 

“I’ve just been writing down book titles in this notebook and googling what they are later,” he told her. “You’ve got some very interesting stuff in here. Anyway, I’ll send you the details.”

Melinda watched him walk out and couldn’t help but smile. This was going to be fun.


End file.
